Ballad of the Archangel
by The Dutchess Haren
Summary: Discontinued. Read last chapter for details.
1. Chapter 1

Another masterpiece brought to you by the mastermind Anti-Christ Samurai!! I know, I know, I probably should stop making new stories and concentrate on the others I already got. Well, I got two words for you. FUCK YOU! I downloaded all six episodes off of Limewire and so I'm on a FLCL kick.

Anyway, read on.

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As she downed her tenth shot (or was it her eleventh? She couldn't remember.), her thoughts wandered back to that day, sixteen years ago. She had no idea why her mind was assaulted with the painful memories. She had been twenty at the time, and he had been barely twelve! But still, they did, and she found she needed them more with each passing day. Not something she was particularly proud of, but it was the truth nonetheless. It was the main reason she was in the bar right now. That, and her junker of a vespa was in the shop. She had landed quite roughly, also known as crashed, onto the planet's surface, a direct result of bad weather conditions and a faulty seatbelt. The flight module was totaled and they'd been waiting for days for the replacement module. And a delivery like that could take weeks on a shit-hole planet like this one.

Haruko had always considered herself a good mechanic. Under normal circumstances, the vespa would have braved the storm and come through unscathed. But her poor little scooter just couldn't take all the traveling they had been doing. She didn't blame it; if it had been her, she would have quit years ago. Her search for Atomsk had yielded no result and she had long since given up. A full year of no news, no sightings, rumors, memos, e-mails, smoke-signals, anything, had passed by and she finally just gave up. What's the point in ultimate power if you've no one to share it with anyway? She had someone at one time, but she had lost him because of her own lust for power. That was a long, _long _time ago. Sixteen years ago today, to be precise. She raised her shot glass into the air slightly.

"Happy fucking anniversary." she murmered before downing whatever was in the glass. She had long since forgot what she'd been drinking, and she wished she could remember how many she had. It wasn't like she was drunk, or even buzzed for that matter; she hadn't been either in ages. Her mind kept drifting in and out of the past and she could barely concentrate long enough to remember her name. Even her own damn name brought back memories. She wished she was drunk, so then maybe her mind would stop and let her rest. Which was why she downed each drink the bartender gave her without question. She looked up at him from across the counter. "How many have I had?"

"That was your fourteenth." he said, uninterested. "Want another?"

She shook her head and stepped back from the counter. "Nah, I'm gonna go. Put it on my tab, will ya?" He nodded. Haruko had set up a tab the day before, but she had no intention of paying it. She was going to leave when her vespa got fixed. Hell, she wasn't even going to pay the mechanic doing the repairs. She just hoped she could get away. Ditching the bartender would be easy; he was old and could barely walk. The mechanic, however, would put up a fight. Him and his five sons. But, as long as neither of them knew until then, she'd be alright. Besides, she always left a generous tip, at the bars at least. She laid sixty dollars on the counter before walking out. When outside she looked up, hands in her pockets, scanning the night sky, searching for that little glimmer of hope that she knew was there. The place she looked to when feeling lost. Her North Star.

"Earth..." She had always been able to find comfort and solice in that glittering speck of light. But tonight, she didn't look for it for comfort. She looked out of anger. Anger at the planet that made her this way. Anger at herself for leaving. Anger at the heartsick feeling she got when she looked at it. Anger at the mechanics for taking so long. Anger at her piece of shit vespa. There was definitely some anger to go around. She frowned as she remembered the events of that day...

_The dust settled on the ruins of Mabase, revealling the devastation Atomsk's escape had caused. The vacuum of his N.O. had destroyed most of the city; pieces of buildings were still floating in the air. Buildings had crumbled, trees were uprooted, lives snuffed out. People that had survived were now filling the streets, gazing in wonder at the destruction around them. A pink haired woman named Haruko sat, mounted on a yellow vespa, eyes locked with the boy that had confessed his love for her only moments ago._

_"I lost him again because of you Takkun." she said, breaking the silence between them. His face remained blank, his eyes begging her to stay. He knew where this was going. They both did. His cold blue stare made her feel a bit uneasy, so she did what came natural and looked up to the sky that had been painted red by Atomsk's escape. So close. She had come so close to having the ultimate power. They had messed up, and all she had gained was his guitar, which was now strapped to her scooter. Once again, silence had settled between them._

_"We couldn't pull it off."_

_Silence. She turned her head to see if he was still there. His eyes glistened with self-disappointment. She felt sorry for the kid. It wasn't really his fault Atomsk got away. The power got to him in the worst way. At least he got rid of the factory. She looked straight into his sad blue eyes. It was amazing he could keep a straight face. She turned the ignition and the vespa jumped to life._

_"Wanna come along?" she asked in a last-ditch effort to cheer him up. His eyes widened slightly and he broke his gaze to look at the ground, giving her his answer. Haruko, who'd been fine through most of it all, could feel her heart break. She didn't understand. She was giving him the perfect oppertunity to leave this dead-end life and go with her. It was obvious now that he didn't want to go with her, but he expected her to stay with him? She pushed her googles over her eyes and looked away. Tears were welling in her eyes and she'd be damned if she let him see. The vespa rose a few feet in the air. "Know what?" _

_He looked up at her. "Forget it. 'Cause you're still a kid Takkun." He said nothing, just watched as the vespa rose higher and higher. "Save it for next time."_

And with that she had flown off. Away from the only place that had made any sense to her. Away from the boy she loved. Yes, Haruhara Haruko, twenty at the time, had fallen for a then twelve year old boy. She felt no shame in admiting it. She had stopped denying it years ago. God, how old would he be now? Twenty-seven, twenty eight? And all these years had just made the feeling worse. What she wouldn't give to be on that planet, in that house, on his brother's bunk. Soon, soon.

But tonight, Earth was hidden by an enormous cliff in the distance. Haruko kicked a rock in anger before walking back to her tent near a crater on the planet's surface. The tent was a rental, with only a cot and a collapsable chair; she would have needed ID to buy one, and she was trying not to leave a paper trail. In fact, she was pushing it by letting proffesional mechanics repair her vespa. Normally she would have stolen the parts, but there weren't any _flyable_ vespas on this miserable little planet.

She sat on the cot and kicked off her shoes. She took off her jacket and threw it onto the chair.. She laid down and curled up under a blanket, and it was then that she felt the tug at her wrist and a single clink of metal. She looked down at her wrist. Her N.O. magnet was standing straight up, pointing at the cliff. She pulled the braclet off and threw it angrily in her bag. The damn thing had to be malfunctioning. For one, no one, not even Atomsk had enough N.O. to make her magnet stand straight up without moving. Second, it had went off on every planet she'd been to the past six months. "Need to get it fixed too..." she whispered to herself before falling asleep.

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A man dressed entirely in black, wearing a big black duster, with short brown hair and blue eyes, sat straddling a black motorcycle, binoculars glued to his eyes as he scanned the city across the desert. He was perched upon a very tall cliff, parked dangerously close to the edge. He caught a flash of pink and he zoomed in. His prey was standing outside of a bar, gazing angrily in his direction. He didn't worry; he was too far away to be seen. His eyes followed as she went into a tent and laid down. After a moment she sat back up and threw something before laying back down.

The man put away the binoculars with a smile. He reached down and unzipped one of the two guitar cases strapped on his bike, pulling out a black 2016 Gibson, which he slung across his back before unzipping the other and pulling out another guitar, a 2003 Rickenbacker. The electric blue of the older guitar seemed to glow against the darkness. He slung it in the same fashion on top of the other. He was about to turn the ignition on his bike when his comlink buzzed. He turned it on and Kitsurabami appeared on screen. "General Kitsurabami. What an unpleasent suprise."

"_Agent N, status report._" she said, frowning. He couldn't tell if she had heard him, or if she was just as pleased as he was to have this conversation. "I've located the target. I should be able to get her by noon tomorrow if I don't waste time with meaningless conversation."

"_Any sooner?_" He shook his head. "_Damn. Well, get there as soon as possible and detain her._"

"Yes, _General_."

"_Finally. After all these years of searching..._" The smile that had been put on her face fell. "_Agent N, don't let your past history--_"

"Don't worry." he cut her off coldly, his blue eyes shining with anger as he remembered the past. "There is nothing that will get in the way. She's just another paycheck to me." Kitsurabami nodded and the screen went blank. The man started his cycle, pushing a pair of goggles over his eyes before speeding off the edge of the cliff , tearing across the immense desert ahead of him.

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One of Kitsurabami's lieutenents, a young girl of nineteen, turned to her. "Do you think he can do it?" Kitsurabami continued to watch the screen, monitoring Agent N's progress as he sped across the desert. She nodded. "If anyone can, it will be him."

The lieutenant frowned. "But, do you think his past history will effect his performance?"

She shook her head. "She went to his home planet once and ruined his life. I doubt he'll be very forgiving."

The lieutenant nodded. "I just hope we don't have another CANTI incident." Kitsurabami nodded. "But that was different. There was sentimentality there. He feels nothing towards her but anger and revenge. I just hope he doesn't get pissed off enough to kill her."

"That's one lesson General Amarao learned the hard way." the younger girl said with a smile. She shared Kitsurabami's hatred for Amarao, but now that he's dead, they didn't have to worry about keeping their thoughts to themselves. "The robot had to be destroyed." Kitsuabami continued. "And he's getting paid a large sum of money for this job."

"The robot was destroyed, but the threat still returned..." the lieutenant said, lowering her voice so only Kitsurabami could hear. "Did the robot really need to be destroyed if it was going to happen anyway?"

"It would have happened sooner if we hadn't, and we would have fallen. We needed time to prepare, and the robot gave us that time."

"But, did we really have to send Agent N against his only friend?"

"Hold your tongue lieutenant." Kitsurabami said angrily. "I will not stand here and listen to you insult the Order by questioning our actions. I will strike you down." She looked at the girl. "...You're dismissed."

The younger girl looked down at the ground and muttered an apology before leaving the room. As soon as Kitsurabami was sure she was gone she let out a sigh. She hadn't meant to explode at the girl. She was under enough stress as it was, and insulting the Order had always been one of her pet peeves. She'd have to apologize later tonight. Besides, that's not the way you treat your girlfriend.

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END


	2. Chapter 2

Hey all, AC-S here with chapter two of my newest story! YAY!! I'd like to apologize now if a certain character's POV is a little short, but it will get longer in future chapters.

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_Chirping. Somewhere birds were chirping. Baby birds, chirping for their mother. Like little children begging for treats after a good day at school or a wife begging her husband to get her that little trinket in the window. The wind blows, the chirping stops. But only for a second. Then it's chirp, chirp, chirp. Happy. They're happy, even though a storm is brewing. They aren't worrying about the tempest. They just want their mother, only because they are hungry._ _But momma bird isn't happy. Or sad. Neither angry, worried, or scared, for momma bird is lost to the storm._

_Thunder. First the light, then the clap. Only one, then more and more. BANG BANG BANG! The world glows as lightning strikes._ _People falling, crying, dying. Fires burning, unhindered by the rain. Trees shattering, buildings crumbling, towers blowing away. None are happy. They're scared, fleeing the wrath the planet so easily uses on them. Tornados, lightning storms, earthquakes. But still, through it all, through the fire and rain and thunder and screaming, there is a sound, a single sound that promises peace after the war._

_A chirp. Then another. And another. It signifies innocence and youth, a kind of immature naivete that comes naturally to those that bear no ill will or feelings. An innocence that is lost to this world, which is about to be no more. It isn't sad. The end of the planet is a happy, beautiful thing. Destruction heralds life, life begets creation, creation brings destruction. It's an endless cycle. The way of the universe. What does one planet's death matter on a cosmic scale?_

_Atomsk had always loved the sight of birds and the sound of their tweets. He saw himself when he looked at their raptor physic. But the similarity was only skin-deep; looks aside, they had nothing in common. Where they were small, he was big. Where they were innocent, he had sinned. Where they were weak, he had power. A power he now used to destroy this world. The deaths didn't matter, for the meaning was clear._

_Revenge, thy name is..._

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"Come on! Can't you replace it any faster?" Haruko whined as the mechanic slowly but carefully replaced the flight module on her vespa. The new module had come in earlier this morning, about 5:27a.m, and Haruko had been there since six. It was now two in the afternoon, and she was getting just a tad aggravated.The mechanic didn't even look up as she paced back and forth across the garage. "Not if ye wants it done right And ye wants it done right, right?"

_Cocky bastard..._ Haruko frowned and, after deciding not to bash in his skull with her axe and fix the damned thing herself, walked out of the shop and sat on the curb. The sun was shining brightly, too brightly in her opinion, and a slight breeze that smelt of oil and hydrogen was blowing. Haruko could see her reflection in the hydrogen tank in front of her. Sixteen years hadn't changed her much. She had the same bubblegum pink hair, the same golden-yellow eyes, the same flawlessly perfect white skin. She was still every bit as beautiful as she had been then.

Only her attire had changed. She now wore a black tank-top and a black knee-length leather skirt. Black tennis shoes completed the image. Around her neck was a pair of goggles, same fashion, with red-tinted lenses. She had stolen the outfit from a girl that had just finished fucking some guy or another in a park. Man, the look on her face when she couldn't find her clothes!In fact, her gentleman laughed almost as hard as Haruko had. Black suited her just fine, and it really helped on those cold planets where she needed all the warmth she could get. She'd also taken the girl's leather jacket; the whore had a thing for leather, apparently.

She sensed it before she heard them. The footsteps of someone walking up behind her. Judging by the heaviness of the steps it was a man of average build, maybe thirty years old. She hoped he wasn't too big; if a fight broke out, she wanted to win. "Haruhara Haruko." he started. She gained interest as he continued. His voice was strongly familiar. "You are wanted for several counts of theft, extortion, destruction of government facilities, and murder."

Haruko yawned and stood, still not bothering to look at him, slowly moving a hand to the double-axe strapped on her back. He continued. "But, you are under arrest for attacking the Medical Mechanica plant based on Alpha 723 and unleashing the dreaded Pirate King Atomsk."

Haruko almost fell when he said his name. She pulled the ripcord, unstrapping the guitar with inhuman speed and swung at him. The man smiled and raised his hand, just as fast, blocking the blow with the palm of his hand. She pushed harder, him barely struggling against her alien strength. Shegot her first good lookat him in that moment. He was decked out entirely in black as she was, wearing an elegant leather trench coat with the hood pulled up so everything but his mouth was hidden in shadow. But it was the guitars on his back that caught her eye.

There were two of them, a black Rickenbaucker and a blue Gibson. He pushed away her guitar and unstrapped his own, moving so fast she didn't even see the ripcords being pulled. He held one in each hand, grinning at her maniacally. "I've waited a long time for this moment, Haruhara." The G string of the blue bass resonated when he said her name. She looked the weapon over. Strangely, it looked like...

"That's Takkun's guitar!" she exclaimed as the realization dawned on her. The man sighed before leaning the black guitar against the hydrogen tanks and pulling a small notebook out of his coat. He flipped it open. "Nandaba Naota," he read. "Age fifteen, wanted for harboring known fugitive Haruhara Haruko and aiding in the destruction of the M.M. facility on Alpha 723. Exchanged Haruhara's weapon for the drop of all charges." He flipped it shut and replaced it in his coat. "Took us me three years to find him. Had a pretty sweet bounty on his head. He moved out of Mabase and was living with Samajime Mamimi in America. There was also a robot with them that had to be terminated."

"You killed Canti?"

"I wouldn't have used the word 'killed', but yes." He flashed another wicked grin. "And I took much pleasure in it." He saw the angered look on her face. "Killing is my business. Don't worry. Samajime is alive and well."

Haruko was seeing red. This man had destroyed Canti and bullied Takkun out of his guitar. She felt an overwhelming desire to beat the shit out of this man and use his skull as a lavatory. She lept into the air and brought her guitar down with a yell. He quickly raised the Rickenbaucker to block her and she hesitated. Not wanting to damage Takkun's guitar she swerved and hit the ground. He took the opportunity she presented him to swing the black guitar and hit her hard in the side, sending her through the air. She twisted in mid-air and shot two bullets out of each neck of her guitar before colliding with the hydrogen tanks with a loud thud. She watched in amazement as the bullets stopped in midair, not three inches from his face.

The man reached up and pulled one out of the air, examining it before dropping it. The other fell when the first hit the ground. He laughed and raised his guitars, aiming the necks at her. "My turn." The shots were like explosions, and the noise alone was almost enough to deafen her. One bullet fortunately ricocheted harmlessly off her guitar. Unfortunately, the other bullet hit the hydrogen tank and it ruptured, the explosion sending her straight into the air. In an instant the man was above her. With speed she had no hope of matching the guitars were in her stomach and she was sent crashing into the ground. She barely brought her own up in time to block his next blow.

He flew down and collided with her on the ground. He leaned over as he pushed her farther into the ground. She could feel his warm breath on her ear. "At first he was worried, because the severity of the charges would have meant death. But when he found out I would take the guitar, he gladly gave it up. You should have seen his face. It was like the whole world had been lifted off his shoulders." he whispered to her. "He told us why. Wanna hear it?" Haruko heard more than enough and she pushed with all her strength, forcing the man off her and back a few feet. She stood, using the double-axe as a brace. "He said you broke his heart." he said quietly. "... You broke _my_ heart."

Haruko was incredibly confused by that last statement. "Wha... what do... you mean?" she asked, having barely enough breath to stand, let alone talk.

"You don't get it, do you?!" he said angrily. He whistled and a black motorcycle pulled up beside him. He sat the guitars carefully on it. Reaching up, he pulled down his hood, revealing his face. Haruko's eyes widened in shock and she once again had to brace herself on the guitar. "N-Nao... Nao... _Naota_?!"

His cold blue eyes narrowed on her as he nodded. The shock overcame her and she fainted.

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"_Agent N, report_."

"I've captured Haruhara. She's sleeping right now." Naota told Kitsurabami through his wrist comlink. He looked over at Haruko. The steady rise and fall of her chest indicated she was indeed asleep, but he knew she couldn't be trusted, even in a subconscious state, and had put chains on her. Her wrists were bound, as were her ankles. "I was more than she could handle, though she put up a descent fight."

"_You always are... Bring her in as soon as possible_." Naota rolled his eyes and severed the connection. He grabbed Haruko's backpack and began to go through it. There was nothing but a bunch of useless junk, as he had expected, though a glint of metal caught his eye. He pulled it out and sat it on the ground. It was a picture frame. A very expensive one, he concluded after a moment's examination. The picture was of the three of them, Naota, Haruko, and Canti. Haruko had him in a headlock with a big grin on her face, Canti was flashing the peace sign, and he was trying to get free.

He remembered when it was taken. Two weeks before she left for the first time, out in front of his father's bakery. He glared at the picture and the memories it brought back before throwing it back in the backpack. He sat down in the chair opposite the cot. He was tired, but he knew he couldn't go to sleep while Haruko was near. Being around her after all these years made him a bit uneasy. He leaned back, eyes focused on her.

She groaned slightly and moved slightly, tucking her legs beneath her chin. This caused the back of her shirt to raise a few inches and reveal a bit of her perfectly pale skin. This brought the all too familiar scent of her to him. He looked away, grimacing as an uncomfortable and unnecessary hardness formed in his lower body. No, he told himself, now is not the time to be fantasizing about her. _This is going to be a long night..._

He knew one thing for certain. He wanted her blood. And he always got what he wanted.

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Kitsurabami closed the front door of her apartment quietly. She took off her hat and jacket and tossed both on the couch. She noted Namie's were already there. She tip-toed to the bedroom. Namie was already in bed, but she didn't know whether or not she was asleep. She went into the adjoining bathroom and got ready for bed, brushing her teeth and changing into a nightgown. She snuck back into the bedroom and quietly and softly got into bed.

She was almost asleep when Namie spoke. "You belittled my in front of the entire squad _and_ Mr. Nandaba." She rolled over to face Kitsurabami. "Why?"

"I'm sorry Namie." Kitsurabami whispered. "I've just been under a lot of stress since the destruction of Beta II. I didn't mean to snap at you." She put a hand on Namie's cheek. "Forgive me?" The younger girl leaned forward and pressed her lips to Kitsurabami's. The kiss didn't last long, for neither had much energy. "Of course." She rolled back over and curled up against Kitsuabami, who draped an arm over her waist. "Where's Mr. Nandaba from?"

Kitsurabami shrugged against her. "No one knows for sure. All we know is he's a bounty hunter, he's _very _rich, he has more NO than we've ever documented before. Other than that..." she yawned. "No one knows."

"He hates Haruhara, doesn't he?" She nodded. "They have a past history. Kinda like him and the robot."

Namie yawned. "He didn't want to fight Canti, did he?" Kitsurabami yawned and shook her head. "Unlike him and Haruhara, he was friends with Canti. They hunted bounties together, actually."

"Then, why didn't he refuse?"

"Anyone is a potential target to him. Even friends. He was reluctant at first, but when we gave him the reason, he agreed." Namie pushed in closer to her. "He has a past history with or enemy?"

Kitsurabami nodded slowly, trying hard to stay awake. Neither of them said another word, both concentrating all their energies on staying conscious. Namie fell asleep first, with Kitsurabami following close behind.

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END

_Well, there you go. Sorry for the bit of fluff there at the end._

_Ya probably got some questions. Like, am I really gonna play Kit off as a lesbian? Why does Naota want blood? Why don't more people review my awesomeness?_

_PEACE OUT!!!!_


	3. Chapter 3

Hey there! AC-S here with Chapter Three! This story is turning out to be more popular than I thought it would. I already have chapter four written, but I will most likely change the entire thing. I'm stuck for chapter five though. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Also, I won't be updating this story agian until it has ten reviews. A TOTAL OF TEN DIFFERENT REVIEWS FROM TEN DIFFERENT PEOPLE!! Sorry, but I need to know you guys like the story, and just plain stats don't cut it.

Anyway, read on.

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_Red. Red is the color of so many things._ _The color of roses. Tomatoes. Strawberries, cherries. Fire trucks, hydrants. It's one of the most beautiful colors in the world. In any world. The universe! It is anywhere and everywhere. In the skies, the trees. Plants, animals, people, buildings, you name it._ _It comes in such an abundance that, after some time, it could make you angry, just the mere sight of it. Gives a whole new perspective to the phrase 'seeing red', which is an irony in itself. This whole planet was red. Red with blood._

_Red in a liquid form is even more breathtaking than solid. And blood is the most beautiful of all. Blood is the ultimate symbol for life. It is the essence that fuels the body. Without it, the heart would not pump, the brain could not think, the lungs breathe._ _Everything is paid for and gained through blood. Just think. For a hit-man, to raise the gun, the muscles have to contract. The movement of blood through the veins causes this. And he gets his money by spilling the blood of his victim._

_A lesser known fact about blood is that it is flammable._ _Throw a torch on a fresh, mangled corpse and watch it go up in flames. It would seem that fire and blood go hand-in-hand. Gut a person, then burn the body using their own life as the fuel. It burns higher and brighter than any other flammable substance. But, the liquid does have its limitations. For one, it burns too quickly. If your stores of it are too small, it will burn up almost instantaneously. Secondly, it stinks. The smell of burning blood is ten times worse than the smell of a burning body. But, through its faults, blood is the most miraculous thing in existence._

_Atomsk loved blood. The taste, the sight. He even liked the smell of it burnt. The only thing he didn't know, couldn't know, was the feel. He longed to be able to touch the crimson oil, dip his hands, bathe in it. Being an embodiment of fire, his flames consumed it before he could tell. Even to feed he had to make sure it never touched his lips. As hot as he was outside, he was ice cold on the inside. Only the blood of others gave him warmth. It made him angry. Very angry. An anger that fueled his fire. The same fire that now torches this planet._

_It was their fault._ _If they hadn't of got in his way, they wouldn't have to die. But, as he made his way forward through the cosmos, each planet got in his way. And so, they were removed. It seemed they put up more of a fight with each planet he destroyed. And the more people that fought, the more that died._

_Natural selection. The weak die so the powerful gain even more power. And the more he killed and fed, the more powerful he became. But it wasn't enough. He would need more if he was to accomplish his main goal. She had _him _with her. As if things weren't already difficult enough..._

_Oh well. Their days of peace were numbered._

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Haruko awoke many hours later. The sun had gone down, that much she could tell with eyes she kept closed. She didn't want to give _him_ any indication that she was awake. She winced as she slowly stretched her legs. Her body was sore all over. She opened her right eye a bit and she could see the outline of a dark purple bruise showing from under her shirt. She went over the fight many times in her head. It just didn't make sense. How could he have beat her? Last time she saw him, he was barely able to save himself from a satellite!

What had happened to him? He had changed so much. He was much more muscular now, though it didn't quite show through his trench. His eyes, they looked so much darker than they used to. She rolled over slowly to look at him. He looked to be fast asleep. There wasn't so much as a single hair on his face, save for his eyebrows. And his skin! God, he was _so _pale... His skin was almost luminescent if she looked at it right, the way it captured the moonlight and almost gave him a glow. His lips had barely any color to them, the lightest shade of pink she'd ever seen. Old memories flooded her mind, and never before had Haruko wanted so much to kiss those lips.

He reminded her of a marble statue, one she had seen in some museum on Earth. In fact, the resemblance was uncanny. The statue had had its old–time style that made some small differences, but the only real difference was the pair of black, feathered wings the statue had possessed. Not real feathers, but they were carved out of granite. Marble and granite. The actual stone itself must have been very rare indeed, being that the wings fit to the body without a seam. She wanted to reach out and place a hand on his cheek.

She did. Standing ever so slowly, noting the chains that were on the ground, she cautiously walked over to him and pressed her fingertips to his cheek. A small gasp escaped her lips. His skin was as hard as marble! She backed away, holding the hand close to her chest. The hardness frightened her, yes, but what she had felt was not just unnatural, it was inhuman. His skin was ice cold! And it had to be seventy degrees tonight!

She backed slowly towards the opening of the tent, not taking her eyes off him, not taking care to watch where she was going. In her carelessness she bumped into something. She turned and about fainted at what she saw.

He was standing there, his face expressionless, his cold blue eyes staring so intently into hers. _My... God... _she thought as she looked back into his, _how... There's no way!_ She glanced back at the chair and sure enough it was empty. She wanted to make some wise-crack about his speed, to yell at him, strike him, anything! But she found herself unable to make the words leave her mouth. A single thought echoed in her mind as she stared into his blue orbs. _Not human..._

He smiled slightly. "Now, why would you think that?" He walked past her and sat back in the chair. He motioned to the cot. "Sit." he commanded. She did, never taking her eyes of him, as his never left her. "You have questions, do you not?"

"What the hell happened to you?!" she blurted out with a suddenness that surprised herself. He gave a hollow laugh. "Whatever do you mean, Haruko?"

"Why–" she started to ask about his skin but stopped. "How did you get so strong?"

"Training." he said with a dismissive gesture. He looked over at her axe. "So, did you find him?"

"Who?" she asked, though she had a good idea 'who'.

"Atomsk." he replied, his tone filled with hatred. His eyes made their way up and down the guitar, examining it, memorizing every detail. "Did you find him?"

She shook her head. "... Takkun–"

"Save it. I don't need or want an explanation for your absence." He looked away from the guitar and into her eyes once more. "_I _didn't wallow in bars for sixteen years."

His words stung her, deeper than she'd admit. But he had to care somewhat! He'd wouldn't have kept tabs on her if he didn't. "I was on my way back! In the next month I was gonna go there. I... I just wasn't ready to face you yet. I wanted so badly to see you, hold you, kiss you..." He looked slightly surprised, either by her words or the way she spoke them. "And when I finally do see you, we're fighting! And you've changed so much!"

He smirked. "You sound just like Mamimi. Only she wasn't as perceptive as you were. She was glad to see me. Nothing else."

Haruko felt a twinge of jealousy. "Was... was all that true? I mean, you living with Samajii?"

He was silent for a moment. "For about two years. It took me a year to find her. She'd moved to America, and Canti and I found her in a very luxurious hotel. I was thirteen then, and she was very surprised to see me. I'd probably still be there if..." He fell silent. Haruko felt an odd sense of deja vu. She remembered silence all too well. "So, you're a bounty hunter now?"

He nodded. "For twelve years."

"How much are you getting paid for me?" He stood and walked to the front of the tent. Just that action of walking sent a shiver down her spine. The movement had been so fluid and graceful, his steps never making a sound. "1.2 million."

Her eyes went wide. "Holy hell! Jesus, if I had known I was worth that much I would have charged those men more..." she said, trying to lighten the mood, though she found it hard considering the fear she had. Yes, Haruko was very much afraid of him. He looked back at her, eyebrow raised and a questioning look on his face. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! So... Who hired you?"

Naota turned away. "That is none of your concern."

"Did..." she said, trying to chose her words carefully. "Did you really destroy Canti?" He nodded slowly. "But, why?"

"They told me it would stop the calamity. And they offered a huge sum of money. Less than what I'm getting for you, but it was a very tempting amount..." he sighed. For a while he said nothing, seeming to retreat into himself, gathering his thoughts. Haruko wished he would continue. There was doubt in her mind that whatever he said would comfort her, but just knowing would do well enough. "I didn't want to do it." he said at last, "But if I hadn't, they would have. And..."

She hated when he did that, stopping mid-thought. But she knew he hated her prying, so she didn't question further. Instead she opted to lay down again, rolling over so her back faced him. She could feel his eyes on her, and a sense of dread filled her that left her unable to speak. "When are we leaving?" she asked after she regained her composure, forcing herself to be calm.

"Two hours." he replied, his voice devoid of emotion. "You might want to get some sleep." She smiled at this and was about to point out how long she'd already slept when something cold washed over her. It felt as though all the energy left her, and she wasn't even able to panic. She drifted into an uneasy sleep.

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Snow-white fangs pierced the skin, spurting blood into his mouth. He pressed his lips harder to her neck, not wanting to spill a single drop. He sucked slowly, lovingly, an undeserved euphoria coming over him. This was Heaven. As he swallowed the first gulp, he almost lost control. He stopped sucking, letting the heart regain itself before he started again, slower than before.

The girl whimpered in his arms. _There, there, my dear, don't cry, _he spoke in her mind, _it will all be over soon, my child._ This only helped a little. She tightened her hold on his hair, pulling, trying futilely to move him. He held her still, pulling from her another long drought of the liquid. If the blood had ever been so warm, so salty, so delicious, he couldn't remember.

"P-please..." she managed to say, "stop..."

He smiled into her neck before sucking as hard as he could manage, pulling out every last droplet of her essence. He heard her heart come almost to a complete stop, her body going limp in his hands. He moved away, licking the wounds as if to gather what was not there. He released her slowly, letting her fall softly to the ground.

Naota took a step back to look her over. So beautiful, this child. She was hardly fifteen, but had walked with a poise that had impressed him. She had feared nothing, no one, not even him as he had drained her. He felt sadness suddenly. He had starved himself for weeks for this child. Had grown to love her long before he decided to take her. And for what? So that in the end he could stare at her lifeless corpse?

He turned and left the alley. There was no doubt the body would be discovered. But he and Haruko would be long gone by then. He returned to the tent with speed he himself forgot he had. She was still where he left him, her heart slowly regaining its pattern. Now would be the perfect time to taste her. Only a small sample. He leaned down, hovering above her neck. He opened his mouth, ready to bite...

He couldn't do it. Something was holding him back. He moved away from her and stormed out of the tent. He was furious at himself. The same thing had happened earlier, before she had awoken. He figured it was the hunger that wouldn't let him do it. So he had found the little child and drained her dry.

But what was stopping him now? Why couldn't he take her? God knows she deserved to be brought to death! She had ruined him, killed many, destroyed many more. She was a sinner by every means. She deserved it! It was very ironic. He had taken the blood of that girl just because she had struck his fancy. She'd never wronged anyone. And yet he had killed her without a second thought.

He went to Haruko's vespa, which had been finished earlier that night, and with preternatural strength he lifted it up and threw it. It soared over the horizon, so far that soon he could even see it. He heard it though. He heard the explosion as it collided with a far-off cliff, rupturing the fuselage. He cursed himself for losing control.

He went back into the tent and sat back down, glaring angrily at the sleeping body of Haruko. He looked down at his watch, not really needing it so much as something to distract himself. Thirty more minutes...

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Kitsurabami turned to Namie. "What's our status?"

"30,000 feet and losing altitude." She looked up at Kitsurabami. "We're going too fast!"

"Damn. Deploy the parachutes!" Namie flipped two switches and pressed the release button. There was a slight jerk and the HUD showed the parachutes opening through camera feed. A moment after they deployed they caught flame and disintegrated. The screen went blank as the camera was also lost.

"Fuck!" Kitsurabami moved next to Namie and flipped the Cargo 1 Release switch. She reached up and put a hand on the lever. "What are you doing?" Namie questioned.

"Lightening the load." she said and with a grunt she pulled the lever. There was a major tug as Cargo Bay One was released from the main ship. Kitsurabami flipped the Cargo 2 Release switch. "Wait!" Namie objected. "There are people in there! Their lives are in danger!"

"So are ours!" Kitsurabami said as she pulled the lever. There was no pull as Cargo Bay Two was released. "What's our status?"

"Uh," Namie turned to the display. "12,392 feet and falling. We're still going too fast!"

Kitsurabami flipped the Cargo 3 Release switch. Before Namie could object she pulled the lever, releasing the final cargo bay. She looked at the HUD.

Nothing. They were still going too fast. They both watched in horror as the ground rushed up to meet them.

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There you go and remember: REVIEW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT CHAPTER! ONLY SEVEN MORE, IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK? BRING YOUR FRIENDS, CALL YOUR NEIGHBORS, ANYTHING!

_**PEACE OUT!!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Took me long enough didn't it? Well, here it is, like I promised, at ten reviews. But before we get to the story, I'm gonna answer some reviews.

**CHING CHING-** Yeah, I agree, it is a little wierd, and when I wrote this story in the first place I hadn't even intended to and anything like that. Haruko may seem a little OOC, but look at it this way: Sixteen years have passed, and she got the shit beat out of her by a man that, at one time, couldn't defend himself against a satellite.

**FRESH C-** I implore you, if you haven't already, to read the rest of the story. Trust me, it gets better.

**ROSETTEOFTHEMAGDALANORDER- **Thanks, I've never had someone say they wished they could write like me.

Alright, on with the story.

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_**One Week Later...**_

When it got right down to it, Haruko never really was one for the emotion of 'fear'. She was frightened by nothing, for she believed herself to be better than the things which were doing the scaring. This belief had carried her through the years splendidly. Never once did she falter in her convictions.

Of course, she had seen some things in her travels that sent a shiver down her spine just contemplating them. For instance, on a tropical planet in some distant galaxy, she had witnessed the rape and torture of a twelve year old girl by a pack of Hydresc, a bipedal reptile-like alien species. They had each taken turns going at her, all seven of them, pounding her so hard her vagina was dripping with blood. Then, apparently doubting the girl had learned her 'lesson', they had chained her to a wall. Every two minutes or so, a low-powered surgical laser would make an incision near her wrist, breasts, and pelvis. After that, some sort of iodine-like substance was showered on her from above.

It made Haruko sick thinking about it. Even sicker was the thought that she did nothing to stop them. She knew that she could have taken all seven of the Hydresc and saved the girl. She was too horrified by what she was seeing, but to entranced to move away. She had stayed with the girl until her eventual death, whispering things to her from a distance that she did not hear. Massive blood-loss was the cause.

Few things since then had made Haruko fearful. And one of those things happened to be the six-foot tall, pale as the moon bounty hunter sitting in the booth across from her. He watched her now with unblinking eyes, watching her every move, even as she drank from her cup.

She looked at all the plates piled on the table. Haruko had been very hungry, and he had bought her whatever she hungered for. She had ate a total of eight platefuls of food, and he hadn't taken a single bite out of any of it. Something had changed inside Naota, she knew that. But she was lost for a reason that made any logical sense. A bunch of supernatural answers came to mind, but she was far from superstitious. Maybe he had some sort of disease, who knew?

She finished her cup of coffee and sat it on top of the dish pile. Their waitress walked up to the table then, bill in hand. With a suspicious glance at Naota she sat it on the table and started away. Naota grabbed her wrist as she walked by. With a smirk he asked "I need directions to a night club."

The waitress smiled. "Which one?"

"The Feral Rabbit." The girl's smile fell instantly and Haruko snorted with laughter. "What kind of club name is that?"

He put up a hand to silence her. He gazed into the waitresses eyes for a moment. She stared back at him, misty-eyed and expressionless. After a moment he released her wrist and smiled. "Thank you. That is all I needed." The girl seemed to awaken from a trance as he spoke to her. She smiled again and nodded to him before walking off. Haruko watched him, eyebrow raised. "So... What's the 'Feral Bunny'?"

"'The Feral Rabbit' is a local nightclub. I have to speak to the owner before I take you in." Haruko laughed. Frowning he asked "What's so funny?"

"First, what's with the name 'Feral Rabbit'?" she asked, giggling even harder when she said the name. "And secondly, since when do you go into clubs? I'd never figure a grump like you would go in one."

He smiled again. "Do not be fooled by the name. The club is actually a gothic club. Heavy metal on the speakers, men wearing more make-up than the women, any drink you could want."

"Well, you have my interest."

"Quite." He stood and stepped away from the table, laying 100 credits on the bill. Haruko followed suit, and when he turned away she swiped 20 of the credits off the table. She pocketed them quickly before he turned around, and, to her amazement, laid 20 more on the table. "Leave it." he said with a knowing look in his eyes.

If Haruko's jaw weren't attached it would have hit the floor. "How did you..." she stopped and threw her hands up. "Gah, you know what? Nevermind. I don't want to know."

"I know you Haruko. What, you didn't think I paid attention when you were with us?"

"Nope." she said as they walked out and got on Naota's bike. "Truly, I thought you were too busy thinking about Ninamori." she teased, batting her eyelashes and making kissing sounds.

"Cut it out." He turned the keys and the bike jumped to life. "And what does Eri have to do with any of this?"

"Ah, you use her first name. How sweeeeeeeeeeet!" The bike sped forward, nearly throwing Haruko off. She laughed, but her happiness faltered when something dawned on her. "Is there something going on between you and Ninamori?"

He glanced over at the moon that was slowly rising on the horizon. "Eri... is a good friend. We'll leave it at that." They swerved into an alley and slowed to a stop in front of a broken down shop. The got off and walked into the building. Naota led them into the back, which was empty save for a hatch door in the middle of the floor. He bent down and opened it. A bright red light shown from the tunnel. Climbing down into it he motioned for her to follow. The climbed down to the bottom, into another room with red lights everywhere. Once again this room was empty. There was a single door, a foot taller than she and made completely out of some sort of metal. She could hear a soft thumping sound coming from the other side.

Naota turned the latch, but before opening the door he turned to her. "The people in this club, they are not what they seem. Keep your thoughts hidden. Avoid conversation if you can, but if someone talks to you be polite and try to get out of the conversation as fast as you can. Understand?"

Haruko nodded, a frown on her face. He nodded and opened the door. What Haruko saw excited her beyond all reason. There were at least fifty people there, most of them dancing. The music was indeed heavy metal, the old stuff that rarely played anymore. Strobe lights, three different bars. This place looked like the perfect club. She looked to Naota, who had a frown on his face. He looked angry at something, eyes scanning the crowd with disgust. He nodded to her, giving her permission to wonder off. She smiled and started off towards on of the bars.

She sat at the bar and looked over the selection. _They really do have everything! This place is awesome! _She decided to start off small. "Strawberry daiquiri." she told the bartender. The bartender nodded and went off to make her drink. Haruko took a good look at the people around her. They certainly were goth. The men and the women were wearing white powder, making themselves look really pale. Some had black lipstick, some eyeliner.

The bartender sat her drink in front of her. "Don't worry about paying." he said with a kind smile. "Everything is on the house."

Haruko's grin widened and she took a sip of it. _Damn, not only do they have everything. but it's good too._ She kept drinking for awhile, losing herself in the music. People sat next to her on either side. They were both watching her. She examined both of them out of the corners of her eyes. They were of slender build, didn't really look like they could put up much of a fight. They were wearing the same white powder.

"You come here alone?" the man on her left asked. Haruko remembered Naota's advice. Deciding to follow it she replied "Yes."

"Really..." the man on her right said, inching in closer to her. "You know, it really isn't safe for such a beautiful young girl to be alone amongst a bunch of strangers."

This irritated Haruko a bit. "What, are you gonna protect me?" They both smiled as she walked away from the counter. She went back to the door and turned the latch. She pulled on the door, but to no avail. The door didn't budge. She tried pulling with all her strength. Nothing. She turned back around and the men were standing there, along with another she didn't recognize. The new man smiled. "Now where are you going?"

Haruko smiled and put a hand on her guitar. "No where." She whipped it off her back and pulled the ripcord. The sound was drowned by the music. She swung, catching one of them in the face, sending him flying into the crowd. She kneed the other man in the stomach before round-housing him against the wall. She whipped the guitar around and aimed the necks at the new man, pulling the trigger and releasing two rounds into his chest. He staggered back and she thought he would fall over dead.

Instead, he mearly stepped forward and grabbed the guitar, yanking it free of her grasp and tossed it into the crowd. The other two men walked back up to her, grins on their faces. "This one's a fighter, 'aye master?" one of them said to the taller man.

"Yes... and that will make this all the sweeter..." He stepped closer to her

Haruko eyed all of them. _This isn't good..._

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Naota had no idea why he brought her here. He knew she would wind up getting into trouble some how. But he had bigger matters to attend to. Pushing back the cloth that hid the doorway to the private room aside he walked in. Two men met him as he walked in. "You need clearance to be back here."

He laughed softly. "Are you two going to stop me?"

They both flashed toothy grins, revealing pointed canines. "You have a funny accent." the shorter bodyguard said. "What is that, French?"

Naota smiled. "I did spend quite a few years there, yes." His smile dropped and he crossed his arms behind his back. "Now move."

They both laughed. "This guy thinks he's getting pass." They both walked forward, and before they could blink they were in the air, held by their throats. Naota laughed and tossed them behind him, grinning when he heard the crack of their bodies colliding. He walked into the room ahead of him.

A man was laying on a bed with three women, each naked. The man was still dressed. He had spiked red hair, and exceedingly pale skin. His facial features were gaunt, less pronounced than Naota's. He was tall, maybe six and a half feet. Naota cleared his throat. "Nice to see you, Axel."

The man, Axel, looked passed the women and at him. "Naota... my god, it's been decades." He moved away from the women and stepped up to Naota. With a smile they embraced. "It's been so long Naota." Axel whispered.

Naota nodded. "Too long. Let me look at you." He pulled away from Axel and looked him over. His skin was a little paler than usual. "You haven't fed enough."

Axel nodded and motioned at the women. "I was just getting ready to. Care to join me?" Naota smiled and sat in the chair next to the desk. Axel walked over to one of the girls and whispered something in her ear. She stood and walked over to Naota. She sat in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed, sending a slight tingle down Naota's spine. His hand slid up her stomach and cupped her breast. She moaned slightly. "Your hands... they are so cold..."

Naota kissed her cheek, then her jaw. His lips grazed her earlobe. "Will you be the one to warm them?" He felt the girls heart racing through her breast. He moved his hand down, past her naval until he reached the moist flesh of her womanhood. His thumb grazed her pierced clit, exciting a loud gasp from her. Axel watched past the women that were kissing him. He lowered his mouth to her throat and bit down, drawing blood from the wound.

Naota continued with his menstrations, tracing the outside of her labia with his index finger. He slid his middle and ring fingers inside of her, causing her again to gasp. He moved them back and forth, curling them slightly, all the while massaging her clit. The girl was panting roughly. With his free hand Naota pulled her head back, exposing the throbbing vein of her jugular. He opened his mouth and bit down, eyes shooting open as the liquid gushed into his mouth. The girl was in a state of confusion. He continued to finger her, rising loud moans from her, all the while draining her dry.

In a loud gasp of pain and pleasure the girl came, spilling her essence all over Naota's fingers. A second later her heart stopped. He pulled his fingers out of her and let her fall to the floor. He looked over at Axel, who was watching him with an amused grin, both the girls dead next to him. "I like playing with the victim, but that takes it to a whole new level."

Naota grabbed a handkerchief of the desk and wiped of his fingers as Axel pulled up a chair in front of him. "So, to what do I owe this visit?" Naota pulled a picture out of his pocket and handed it to Axel. "This."

He examined it. "Pretty girl. Who is she?"

"Haruhara Haruko." Naota replied, his smile replaced by a slight frown. "But she isn't the issue. That guitar in the right-hand corner is." Axel's eyes widened slightly when he saw it.

"His guitar..." he whistled appreciatively. "Beautiful... how did she get it?"

"With my help, she was the one who released him." Axel frowned. "So, my agents in the Medical Mechanica failed to hold him?"

Naota nodded. "You understand my concern then?" Axel nodded and handed the picture back to him. "He'll be wanting that back. And, knowing Atomsk like I do, he won't stop until he gets it. I wonder..." Axel leaned back in the chair. "What is truly your concern? For the guitar, or the girl?"

Naota looked down at the ground. "The girl... it isn't what you think. I will have to tell you my story someday."

Axel laughed. "That you will. Well, if you want information on Atomsk, you'd better ask these two." He clapped twice. Two women walked in from the side room. Naota couldn't help but smile as he looked the taller of the two over.

"Kitsuabami, you look like hell."

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Did that live up to the wait? I hope it did. I'm not gonna update until I get sixteen reviews, so keep reviewing!

**_PEACE OUT!_**


	5. UPDATE

Come on people!!! Four more reviews are all I need! Then I can start work on the next chapter! Well, that's not saying that more reviews aren't appreatiated, but I can get started on Chapter Five of my FLCL fiction at sixteen reviews. I really want to update it. And, by the way, it is a crossover fiction. I won't tell you what it is because I don't want to spoil the whole 'vampire Naota' thing. I'll just tell you that you won't be able to find another story that has anything to do with it on because trust me, I looked.

Chapter Five explains a few things, and it is a really long chapter. I think. It all depends. Into how much detail I go all depends on if you want another story that explains how Naota became a vampire. It will go into Naota's teen years, covering the time before, during, and after Haruko, then into Naota's adulthood, and to the inevitable transformation that made Naota what he is now.

Ballad of the Archangel is book one of a three book series. I'm not sure what I'm going to call the second one, but I already have the title for the third one. The title of the third book will be revealed in the next chapter, but only if you pay attention ;).

Now, to talk about other stories. I'm thinking about updating my Metroid fic soon. Oh and by the way (I love that phrase :3), it is going to turn into a lesbian fiction. Not a very romantic one, just something that happens in the story, cause I felt like it. Dunno, I got to thinking one night that I wanted to make Samus a lesbian, but there are no other female characters in the games. So, I got creative.

Anyway, just wanted to give a small update about those two stories, and I know that it made the people that have my fics flagged looked : insert corny joke here : . And really, I need to know if I should make the next two books. In your reviews, please tell me whether or not I should.

GOD OF THE MIND 


	6. Chapter 5

Wow, took my ass long enough, didn't it? I hope I didn't make you wait too long, but eh, everything get's better with age.

:thinks for a moment:

O.o Okay, maybe not everything, but most.

**CRAZY AMONG GHOSTS - **Glad someone agrees with me!

**SINWEAVER - **Yeah, I kinda figured the traffic would be low, but I believe in the people of this site to review something they think is good. And those are good ideas for crossovers, but unfortunately, neither are correct.

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"Fuck you Nandaba." Kitsurabami said as she and Namie sat on Axel's bed, a disgusted look on her face as she pushed the dead bodies onto the floor. Her and Namie were covered from head to toe with half healed cuts and small bruises. They covered their arms, hands, and what Naota could see of their legs, Namie hiding her arms self-consciously as Axel looked her over. Naota looked over to Axel. _Do they know what we are?_

Axel shook his head. _They only know what I am. Although, it won't be long until they find out..._ Naota raised an eyebrow in questioning, only to have Axel smile and make a dismissive gesture. Naota turned his attentions back to the two girls. "What happened to you?"

"He attacked the station. Atomsk." Namie said with a grimace, forcing herself to look away from Axel. "Kit and I were the first to get to the escape fighter. He followed as we tried to make our escape, and in the ensuing dogfight the ship got severely damaged, causing us to crash-land on Earth. We barely made it out alive."

"So he was going to destroy Earth?"

Kitsurabami shook her head. "He paid no attention to the planet. He was there for the station. He only chased us for a few minutes, then proceeded to destroy the station. Not absorb, destroy."

"Very uncharacteristic for Atomsk..." Axel murmured. Naota nodded in agreement. "Did anyone else escape?"

Again, Kitsurabami shook her head. Axel stood and placed a hand on Namie's shoulder, causing her to wince slightly. Naota could sense her unease from being around him. What, did she think he was going to drain her?

Axel smiled at Namie's reaction. "Kitsurabami contacted me for aid, and I sent my Nightwing rescue squadron after them. They've been staying her recovering for the past week. I hope they have enjoyed their stay..." he added with a downwards glance at Namie, who smiled nervously.

Naota sighed and spoke again into Axel's mind. _You can't have her._

Axel shrugged. _I know. She's Kit's._

_Then why taunt the poor thing? She already knows what we are, and that unnerves her enough._

_Because I like it._ came his short reply, causing Naota to chuckle slightly. "Regardless..." Naota frowned as he looked around the room, the realization dawning on him that there was someone missing from the room. "You said... no one else escaped...?"

Kitsurabami nodded. "The only people that weren't there were the Council members."

"And... who are they again?"

"Uh... Timothy Leeson, Munda Casko, Saul Bentry, and Eri Ninamori." Namie said after a moment. Kitsurabami frowned. "Why? Someone you know in the Council_?"_

"No..." he lied, keeping his face blank as Kitsurabami glared into his eyes. If they didn't know, he shouldn't be the one to tell them. "Just needed names. Maybe they'll go missing and I can make me some more money in bounties."

"No one is going to want them dead, you know that."

"No one from your order." Naota countered, smiling as they both glared at him. "But I'm sure that there are other organizations the would like them, how would you say, _removed_."

Kitsurabami stood and got close to Naota. They're noses weren't five inches apart. "You wouldn't dare..."

Naota gave his best menacing smile and leaned forward more, moving up to her ear. He could hear her heart begin to race, her breathing becoming shallow and uneven. "Oh, I would. Unless, of course, you were to... persuade me otherwise..."

Kitsurabami gasped as he took her hand in his. "Wha-what... how would I... do that...?"

Naota stood, still holding her hand. "Oh, I don't know..." he said as he moved behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I'm sure you can think of something..."

It was at that moment that Namie cleared her throat, causing Naota and a stupefiedKitsurabami to look back at her. "Regardless of the feelings of rival organizations, the fact remains that theyare gone, and it will take much more than a mere bounty hunter to find them. Can we get back to the problem at hand?"

Naota couldn't help but laugh as he released Kitsurabami and watched her as she took her place at Namie's side, very red in the face and apparently embarrassed. "Suit yourself. What _is_ the problem at hand lieutenant?"

"Don't you listen?" she asked irritably, frowning when Naota shook his head and Axel laughed. "Atomsk is the problem! And we need to know what you intend to do about it, what both of you intend to do about it!"

Axel's eyes widened slightly in shock. "_Mon cher_, what do you expect us to do? You really think that we, a couple of average Joes, can do anything against him?" Naota nodded in agreement. "Why is it our issue, our responsibility, to take care of it? You're the ones that couldn't hold him, you take care of it."

"Because, he's a vampire now!" Kitsurabami exclaimed.

"_What!?_" Naota asked, sitting up in his chair. Kitsurabami nodded over at Axel, who was staring at the ground, shame on his face. "You have your friend to thank for that..."

Before anyone could blink Axel was yanked out of his chair and pinned against the wall by Naota. Both of his hands were around Axel's throat and his eyes were glowing with rage. "What the fuck did you do!?"

"Please... Naota, I didn't... didn't know... At the time, when I turned him... He seemed human!" Naota threw him to the ground. "How the hell can you confuse a giant red bird for a human!?"

Axel lapsed into a coughing fit, a hand feeling his throat. When he touched the back of his neckhe yelled out in pain. He looked up at Naota, tears of blood flowing from his eyes and mouth. _Damn you... my neck, you've broken it!_

"You're damn lucky I don't set you on fire right now!" Both Namie and Kitsurabami looked at him in confusion. He motioned for them to hush before looking back at Axel. "Now answer me: why did you turn him?"

_I told you, I didn't know what he'd done! Even as I took his blood, he hid his mind from me... I didn't know what he was until it was too late. He'd taken the form of a human, and after I turned him, a pair of flaming wings burst from his back. His whole form seemed to catch flame and he shot into the sky, maniacally laughing. _Using a bedpost he stood, coughing up more blood. _He'd moved with such speed... A speed that puts even yours to shame! Forgive me, please... I didn't know..._

Naota glared at him as he thought it over. _Atomsk... a vampire... _He returned to his chair, burying his face in his hands. He could feel tears of blood gather in his eyes from anger. He wiped them away with the palm of his hand before looking up at Axel, who had sat next to Namie. Despite her fear and obvious dislike of him she was checking his neck. Axel looked back at him, eyes full of fear and hurt. "Naota... _s'il vous plaît_... my neck..." Naota watched him for a moment before he sighed and freed his right arm from the sleeve of his trench coat. "Come; sit in front of me, facing the girls."

Axel fell to the ground and crawled up to Naota, kissing his shoes when he reached him. "_Merci_!" He turned and sat, his back toward Naota, giving him a good view of the damage he'd done. There was an enormous bruise already formed where his neck broken. He touched a finger to it, earning a pained moan from Axel. "It will heal with time..." He told him with a glance up at the girls, who were watching silently and intently. Namie had an odd look in her eyes, and when Naota tried to pry into her mind, he found it surprisingly well _g_uarded. She met his gaze and smiled slightly. Eyes still locked with Namie's he moved his wrist to Axel's mouth, gasping when he felthis skin pierced by Axel's fangs.

He knew what to expect, but it had been so long since he'd willing given his own blood, that the rushing of it from his wrist left him light-headed almost immediately. He had to brace himself against his chair to stop from falling. "I knew it." Namie said, her smile replaced with a disgusted frown. "Kn-knew what...?"

"You _are_ a vampire!" she said. "I had read about it, but I didn't think it was true..."

Naota yanked his wrist back from Axel, who fell to the floor, high off his blood. "What do you mean you _read_ it?" Namie reached down and grabbed her pack, only breaking eye contact to search through it. She looked back up, a book in her hand, which she handed to Naota. He took it from her and looked at the title. "_Bloody Mechanica_?" He was about to throw it back to her when the author's name caught his eye, and what color was left in his face instantly drained. _No, it... it can't be! Le... Le..._

"Lestat..."

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Did that chapter seem to be a bit short to yall? I think it is, and I apologize, I just wanted to get the next chappy up. Anyway, R & R, you know the drill.

**_PEACE OUT!!!_**


	7. Final Update

I just want to let everyone know that I am discontinuing each story on this account for an unspecified amount of time. I am truely sorry if this disappoints everyone, but I am severly dissatisfied with my old writing style.

Someday I will get back to each story, when I get the inspiration to re-write them. Until then, please enjoy my new account, where my new stories and my re-writes both will go.

All support is welcome, and I apologize for the annoying wait. I did not mean to go this long without writing/updating, but life has a funny way of smacking you in the face. Hopefully I won't go on hiatus again, but if I do I'll most likely give the rights to my stories to someone else in hopes that they can complete my vision, and give the readers what they want.

My new account: h ttp :/ www .fan fiction. net/~xbrandx (FF's stupid filter, remove the spaces.)

Happy reading everyone.


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